Patrick Mahomes knows a thing or two about stepping up when his team needs him the most. The Kansas Chiefs did not win three Super Bowl titles and two NFL Most Valuable Player awards without delivering the goods in the clutch. Unfortunately for Rory McIlroy, he did not have that kind of winning quality on Sunday, as he came awfully short of capturing the 2024 U.S. Open title at Pinehurst No. 2.
When McIlroy bungled a crucial putt attempt on the 18th hole in the last round of the U.S. Open on Sunday, Mahomes was just as shocked as everyone who witnessed the Northern Irishman commit a disastrous error.
“Wow,” posted Mahomes on X (the social media platform formerly known as X).
Not long after McIlroy's blunder, Bryson DeChambeau left Mahomes and golf fans from all over picking their jaws up from the floor following a huge bunker shot.
“GREAT bunker shot!” Mahomes exclaimed on X.
DeChambeau then put in the finishing touches by converting on the putt after that bunker save to win his second major of his career (and second U.S. Open title overall). Without that spectacular bunker shot, DeChambeau could have fumbled the opportunity to close it out and give McIlroy enough window to steal the win. Fortunately for DeChambeau, the golf gods were on his side.
After his win at Pinehurst No. 2, DeChambeau improved his 2024 PGA Tour resume to 3/3, having finished with a T-6 at the Masters last April and finishing runner-up to Xander Schauffele in last May's PGA Championship.
Tense ending to 2024 US Open has Patrick Mahomes and golf fans on the edge of their seats
Before DeChambeau was able to touch and raise the U.S. Open Championship Trophy, he first had to sweat — a lot. McIlroy was hot on DeChambeau's tail entering the final day of the event in North Carolina. McIlroy started well in the last round, as he scored a birdie on the first hole. Up to the 13th hole, McIlroy collected a total of five birdies against a bogey on Sunday. Over the same stretch, DeChambeau only had two birdies and two bogeys. McIlroy even got the solo lead after a birdie on the 12th hole paired with a bogey by DeChambeau on the same hole.
But things went south for McIlroy after that. Following a par on the 14th hole, McIlroy suffered back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th. He scored a par on the 17th before the aforementioned costly mistake on the 18th hole that opened the door for DeChambeau to secure the U.S. Open title. One can only imagine the pain McIlroy must have felt after blowing yet another golden opportunity to end his decade-long hunt for the elusive major title No. 5. Nearly 10 years after winning his fourth major, McIlroy is still stuck with four major wins.
Just like last year in Los Angeles, McIlroy had a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open by just a stroke. It can be recalled that McIlroy also nearly won the 2023 edition of the same tournament but fell short of overcoming eventual winner Wyndham Clark, who finished with just a T-56 in 2024. DeChambeau edged McIlroy with an overall score of 6-under 274. McIlroy, on the other hand, posted a 5-under 275.
Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay tied for third with identical 4-under 276 scores, while Matthieu Pavon rounded out the top five with a 3-under 277.
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